Resilient shoe tap



RESILIEINT SHOE TAP Original Filed Jan. 20, 1959 INVENTOR. LEONARD HACK BYBAIYXSZMM ATTORNEY FIG. 4

States If Z 1 RESILIENT SHOE TAP Original application :111. '20, 1959, Ser. No. 787,887. Divided and this application Feb. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 7,642

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-59) This invention relates to resilient shoe soles in the form of a partial sole provided at the forward end of the shoe and identified in the trade as a tap.

This application is a division of Hack et a1. application Ser. No. 787,887, filed January 20, 1959, and now pending.

In the instant invention, taps are made of resilient materials such as rubber, flexible plastics, or other suitable compositions well known in the art. Taps of this type of materials are usually made by the molding process. The tap comprises a platform portion secured to the forepart of the shoe by an adhesive, or other suitable fastening means, from which depend a longitudinally extending series of parallel transverse ribs having their front and rear faces rearwardly slanted. The tap of this invention is provided with a front toe pressure pad whereby added wear and a more substantial pivot for take-off in walking or running is achieved.

A separate tap provides simplicity in manufacture and can be used and secured to shoes or boots without wedges. There is economy in replacement costs over full length soles, and a separate tap further provides a stylized construction and a style factor in certain type of shoes.

Reference is made to the drawing annexed 'hereto forming an integral part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tap embodying the inventive features heredisclosed.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the tap shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, showing curved rib members in the tap.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the tip comprises an upper platform portion 12 from which depend a longitudinally extending series of integrally formed parallel transverse rib members 14 having rearwardly and downwardly slanting front faces 16 and rear faces 18. The lower rounded edges 20 of the ribs provide a conjunction of the front and rear faces, and the rear and front faces of adjacent rib members are conjoined by a blending radius 22 adjacent the platform 12, whereby added flexibility is provided for the ribs.

A front toe pressure pad 30 is provided at the front tip end of the tap, which has the function of serving as a pad with which the shoe applies added push in leaving a ground plane, i.e. take-01f in walking or runmng.

atent Patented .iune 21, 1960 In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown a tap 10a, similar to the tap 10, except that it is provided with transversely curved rib members 34 integrally formed with a tap platform portion 36 from which they depend. The rib members 34 have rearwardly and downwardly slanting front faces 40 and rear faces 42, preferably conjoined at their lower extremities by a rounded, blended edge 44. The rear faces 42 and front faces 40 of adjacent rib members are preferably conjoined by a smooth blending radius 46 at the platform portion 36. The purpose and function of the curved rim members 34 is to provide resistance to sidewise slip or motion when the tap is engaged upon a supporting surface.

The flexibility of the above described resilient tap is a direct result of the rib construction in which rearwardly and downwardly slanted faces conjoined at their lower edges produce ribs that yield downwardly and forwardly under load, imparting a forward movement to the foot in walking or running. A sensation of gliding motion is achieved from the flexing of the ribs when the foot bears downwardly upon a base plane.

The economies of the instant tap construction involve savings in material, in the production of taps from molds that are substantially smaller and less expensive to produce and maintain, in replacement of the tap independently of any other portion of the sole, and in the use of the tap without a wedge. In addition, manufacture of shoes with the separate tap of this invention provides the benefits of simplicity and a very close relationship to current shoe manufacturing methods and processes.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ground plane contacting element for a shoe, a tap made of resilient material having a body secured to said shoe at the forepart thereof and a series of transversely extending, parallel, downwardly and rearwardly inclined rib members projecting from said body and spaced longitudinally along said tap, said rib members having front and rear forwardly inclined faces diverging upwardly from their lower edges and forming a rounded juncture with the body of said tap, whereby when said rib members are engaged upon a supporting surface, said rib members will flex forwardly under weight and produce a forward movement of said shoe relative to said surface, and a front toe plateau having the thickness of said tap, forward of the first of said rib members, said toe plateau providing a pressure pad at the toe of said shoe.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, and in which said rib members are curved transversely of said tap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 485,459 Crocker Nov. 1, 1892 2,570,949 Hoffenberg Oct. 9, 1951 2,710,461 Hack June 14, 1955 2,833,057 Hack May 6, 1958 

